President Obama held a press conference a short time ago in the White House where he emphasized that he is not waiting for legislation, that he has a pen and he will use it to sign executive orders:

But one of the things I’ll be emphasizing in this meeting is that we are not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we’re providing Americans the kind of help that they need.

I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone, and I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure our kids are getting the best education possible, making sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance, to make sure that people are getting the skills that they need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating.

And I’ve got a phone that allows me to convene Americans from every walk of life, nonprofits, businesses, the private sector, universities, to try to bring more and more Americans together around what i think is a unifying theme; making sure that this is a country where if you work hard, you can make it.

And so one of the things that I’m going to be talking to my cabinet about is how do we use all the tools available to us, not just legislation, in order to advance a mission that I think unifies all Americans, the belief that everybody’s got to take responsibility, everybody’s got to work hard, but if you do, that you can support a family and meet the kinds of obligations that you have to your self and your family, but also to your communities and your neighbors.